Each area has already been the focus of national monument campaigns on the congressional level, as residents of local communities rallied around the special places in their midst. However, since partisanship in Washington has made it prohibitively difficult to put such plans into motion, it may fall to the president to ensure that these natural landmarks are preserved for future generations. In January, more than 100 members of Congress signed a letter to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell supporting this authority.

The Stornetta Public Lands are part of the California Coastal National Monument just to the north of the town of Point Arena. They contain more than 1,000 acres of scenic coastal habitat harboring wildlife including shore birds, raptors and salmon, making the area a draw for tourists. Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks, a geologically-diverse stretch of mountains outside Las Cruces, is prized by sportsmen and conservationists alike, and contains some of the most stunning vistas in the American Southwest.